Marl

Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and silt. The dominant carbonate mineral in most marls is calcite, but other carbonate minerals such as aragonite, dolomite, and siderite may be present. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay and calcium carbonate, formed under freshwater conditions; specifically an earthy substance containing 35–65% clay and 65–35% carbonate.

Formation

Marl is a sedimentary rock that is formed from the sedimentation of tiny marine organisms in ocean or lake environments. The process of formation involves the accumulation of these organisms' shells and bones in the marine environment which are then mixed with silt and clay.

Uses

Historically, the term marl was used to describe a wide range of agricultural and industrial materials, including clay, silt, sand, and various types of limestone. Today, it is primarily used in the construction industry as a raw material for the production of cement and other building materials.

See also

• Clay
• Silt
• Sand
• Limestone
• Cement
• Building materials

References

Marl Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski